One injured in Grand Avenue fire | VIDEO

Evansville firefighters responded to a report from smoke coming out of a window at a home at 201 S. Grand Ave. this morning.

UPDATE: An alert Allied Waste truck driver is being credited for saving the life of an 86-year-old man whose house at 201 S. Grand Ave. caught fire this morning.

The resident, Charles Jackson, was taken to Deaconess Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. His condition was not known.

Evansville Fire Department Investigator Richard Howard said Jim Rankin, a driver for Allied Waste, smelled smoke. When he saw that it was coming from an upstairs window of the house he called 911

"It was a smoldering, smoky fire but it was enough to kill you," Howard said. "That guy very reasonably could have saved a life."

Firefighters were unable to reach Jackson through the house because of the large amount of debris inside of it, Howard said. He was brought out through a bedroom window and down a ladder.

Howard said a space heater plugged into a brown extension cord started the fire. He said there were two electric space heaters and multiple extension cords with various electrical items plugged into them.

"You just can't do that," Howard said.

He said Jackson tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire himself.

UPDATE: The resident of a house at 201 S. Grand Ave. that caught fire this morning was taken to Deaconess Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation shortly after 8 a.m.

The driver of a passing garbage truck saw smoke coming out of a second story window and called 911 to report it, said Mike Larson, acting district chief for the Evansville Fire Department.

"There was one occupant inside and light smoke coming out of an upper window. The owner has a lot of stuff inside downstairs and they weren't able to get to him," Larson said.

Firefighters helped the man, who has not been identified, climb down a ladder they had placed to a second story window.

"He came out walking on his own," Larson said.

He was unsure what caused the fire but said firefighters had it out in a matter of minutes. The fire was officially noted out at 8:11 a.m., according to Central Dispatch.